


Swim Team

by Andwecanmessaround



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Swim Team, just another quick 1000 word Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-16
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-04-04 16:26:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4144608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andwecanmessaround/pseuds/Andwecanmessaround
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>High School!AU </p>
<p>Garnet is in the swim team and Pearl tries to be a supportive girlfriend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Swim Team

Pearl hadn’t been sure what to think when Garnet and her family moved in next door during the summer, they rarely spoke to anyone and barely ever left the house. Garnet transferred to her school a few months ago, at the beginning of Junior year. She didn’t divulge much information, but it seemed they’d suffered a huge loss in the family which had caused the move, and explained the family keeping to themselves. 

Pearl didn’t really have many friends, and the teachers regularly assigned Garnet a space next to her in class, as the only kid that Garnet already knew. The new girl was hot, and sporty - apparently she’d won medals in State swimming championships at her previous school - and she could be charming when she wanted to be. Pearl had no idea why Garnet continued to hang out with her – the small awkward nerdy neighbour who spent lunchtime reading in the library. Pearl soon found sh’d judged Garnet too soon. Sure, the new kid was sporty, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy reading too, and she had a deep love of space that matched Pearl’s. They even shared a similar taste in music and went to a couple of concerts together, hanging out at lunch and soon beginning to tentatively date. When swim classes started again for the year Pearl spent the time after school reading in the library before meeting Garnet at the gates to walk home together. 

They usually enjoyed the relaxing half hour journey back to their street together, but today Garnet’s posture was tense, and she hadn’t spoken a word since greeting Pearl at the gates after swim class. The smaller girl knew she wasn’t exactly the best at picking up social queues, but there was obviously something wrong. 

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” Garnet shrugged. 

Pearl frowned but backed off, and her girlfriend looked down at her and sighed. 

“It’s nothing. Just…the school entered me into a county competition without asking me. I haven’t raced professionally since before I moved here.” 

“Oh,” Pearl wasn’t quite sure what to say. She’d never been into any competitive sports. In fact her and her friends usually spent the annual school sports day deliberately trying to lose so they could sit on the grass and avoid physical exertion for the rest of the day. 

“I was the best at my old school you know? They were devastated when I had to move. I’m out of shape now though.”

“You’re a _really good swimmer_ ,” Pearl reassured her “just do your best. This could be good for you Garnet!”

____________

Garnet seemed more and more competitive about the race as the weeks went by, despite her initial uncertainty. She became increasingly driven, practicing before school, after school and at the weekends. Pearl knew it was selfish, but she would be glad when it was over, so she could actually get to see her girlfriend again. 

The day of the tournament arrived and Garnet was radiant with excitement. Pearl never seen her girlfriend grinning so widely before, which if she was honest sparked a little jealousy. She couldn’t help but wish she had a talent to be so passionate about. She was proud of her though, Garnet had put in a lot of hard work and Pearl knew it would pay off. 

“I wish I could be there to cheer you on,” Pearl said, as they walked into the school reception together that morning hand in hand. 

“I’ll text you when I can. Have fun in school.” 

“I can’t believe you get to miss a whole day,” Pearl groaned. 

Garnet grinned and pressed a quick kiss to her girlfriend’s cheek as they parted ways. Pearl glanced back as she entered the school to see Garnet greeting the male contestant from their school. 

Then the bell rang and she Pearl was swallowed in a swelling crowd of frenzied students, pushing her across the corridor towards her first lesson. 

_______________

Lunchtime came, and Pearl and her friends were on the school field under the shade of the tree, as usual. Sadie, Jenny and Amethyst were clowning around throwing grass at each other, whilst Pearl read a book and Peridot was playing on a handheld device, occasionally rolling her eyes at the other three, and squawking in protest when the trio teamed up to drop a large amount of grass clippings on her. 

“They’re gonna be in all the joints!” She grumbled, checking her prosthetics “I’m going to smell of wet grass for weeks you idiots.” 

“At least it’s a nice smell Peri,” Sadie pointed out, her and Jenny at least showing some remorse whilst Amethyst just snickered. Peridot grabbed the book from Pearl’s hands and launched it at the laughing Latina girl, it connected with a thunk and Peridot went back to her game, as both Pearl and Amethyst glared at her. 

“That’s not my book!” Pearl squeaked, too late. 

“Uh, not cool Peri!” Amethyst protested, clutching her head. 

“It was only a soft-back Amethyst, stop whining, I’m more worried your head damaged the book.” 

Amethyst stook her tongue out at Pearl, who was about to reply with an insult when she heard a buzz in her bag next to her, and dashed to retrieve her phone instead. 

“Is it Garnet?” Jenny asked, and the group ceased their grass fighting to look over. 

“Yeah,” Pearl scanned the text. 

_@ Lunch. Thru to finals @ 4. Boredddd. Watching other races. C u soon xxx_

“ugh, I wish she would use proper grammar! She’s eating now, she’s through to the final race. But that’s not till 4 so now she’s sitting around doing nothing for the next few hours.” 

“Wow! Tell her I say hi!” Sadie said. 

“And good luck,” Jenny added. 

Amethyst picked that moment to tackle Sadie and Jenny to the ground so Pearl rolled her eyes and left them to get on with it as she typed out a text in response. 

_Well done! Miss you. Everyone says hi, and good luck from us all. :) xxx  
P.s. you missed Peri throwing a book at amethyst. _

Garnet responded almost instantly. 

_LOL. Miss u 2. Xx_

____________

  
Pearl waited in the library by the large double windows that looked out over the front of the school, finally seeing a bus turn up and two small figures step off at around 6. 

She rushed down to the gates. Garnet was there, but even as she approached she could see the dejection in the other girl’s posture and slowed to a stop in front of her, not sure what to say. 

“Hi?” She tried 

“Hi.” Garnet avoided eye contact, nodding in her direction. 

“Your eyes are red.” Pearl noticed anyway. 

“From the chlorine.” The taller girl said, turning her head to look away. 

“Do you want to talk about how it went?” Pearl said, rubbing her wrist self consciously as they fell into step walking together but Garnet made no move to hold her hand. 

“I lost.” Garnet kicked a nearby can that was lying on the ground, it slid a long distance along the concrete pavement before ricocheting off a lamppost and dropping down onto the gutter, rattling on the floor as cars passed right next to it on the busy road. 

“You still got to the final though Garnet,” Pearl pointed out. 

“I know,” Garnet mumbled “I got the ‘getting a silver is ok’ talk on the bus ride home.”

“Garnet you can’t be the best all the time. That’s too much pressure to put on yourself.” Pearl said, grabbing the other girl’s arm reflexively.  
“Yeah but I was so far behind the person who came first. I’ve never been beaten that badly I just wanted to win and make everyone proud.” Garnet’s voice caught at the end of her sentence and Pearl pulled her in for a hug before letting go to grasp both Garnet’s arms and look into her eyes. 

“We are. I’m so proud of you, I’m so lucky to have you. You came second in the entire county, and you don’t even realise how amazing that is? You’re smart, you’re funny, you’re incredibly attractive.” Pearl flushed, cursing herself for not thinking before she spoke as usual.

“…Er, the point is, everyone you meet in life is going to be better than you at something, or know something you don’t. That doesn’t make you any less special. There are probably dozens of people out there jealous of you.” Pearl let go and looked apprehensively at the other girl. 

Garnet managed a ‘thanks’ without tearing up, and they walked a little while in silence holding hands before Garnet suddenly stopped and smirked. 

“Did you just use the phrase ‘incredibly attractive’? Most people under the age of 95 would just say ‘hot’.”

“Are you really going to criticise my choice of wording? Your texts are barely legible!” 

“Geek.” Garnet teased. 

“Jock.” Pearl retorted. 

Garnet laughed and leaned down to kiss her girlfriend.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, this was just another quick 1000 word Drabble, sorry if it's not up to the quality of some of my other stuff, I hope you still enjoyed it! I just wanted to do something a little fluffy at the end.


End file.
